Crate.



. No. 660,506. PATENTBD JULY 16, 1967.

C. H. WILLIAMS.

CRATE.

APPLIOATION FILED H1128. 190e.

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PATBNTED JULY 16, 1907. C. H. WILLIAMS.

CRATE.

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CHARLES H. WILLIAMS, OF DUQUOIN, ILLINOIS.

CRATE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application tiled February 28, 1906. Serial No. 303,489.

y To all `whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. WILLIAMS, a citiv zen of the United States, residing at Duquoin, in the The invention relates to an improvement in crates and particularly to a folding collapsible crate designed primarily for use in transporting bananas or the like.

The main object oi the present invention is the production of a crate which in operative position will serve as a protecting medium for the contents in shipment, and which is particularly constructed to permit folding to reduce its bulk to occupy the minimum space when in empty condition.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crate constructed in accordance with my invention, the covering bag being shown in place therein, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a perspective oi the crate in folded position, Fig, 4 is a longitudinal vertical section oi the same.

Referring particularly to the drawings my improved cratek comprises a front frame including side bars 1 and cross bars'2 rigidly secured at their ends to and maintaining the side bars in spaced parallel relation, and a rear frame including side bars 3 and cross bars 4, rigidly secured to the side bars and forming therewith a trame practically coextensive in dimensions with the front frames.

The frames are pivotally mounted at 5 upon a base comprising side strips G and cross strips 7, said side strips extending lengthwise the side of the crate and supporting the respective frames in spaced parallel relation vertically therefrom, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Above the base the side strips 1 and 3 ofthe respective trames are also connected by cross strips 8, pivotally joined at their ends with the respective side strips and arranged to permit an endwise relative movement o the respective frames, in a manner to be later described.

Extending rom the pivotal connection of the side strip 6 of the base with the one side bar 3' ot the rear frame is a stay strip 9, which extends upwardly at an incline to the base when in open position, and is formed at its forward end with an elongated slot 10 to embrace a headed pin 11 projecting inwardly from the side bar 1 oi the iront frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The pivotal connection of the base strip 6 on the opposite side of the crate with the side bar 1 of the forward frame is arranged to receive and pivotally bar 4 of the rear frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. In this position oi the stay bars it will be noted that they incline upwardly from their respective pivotal connection when the crate is open, extending in reverse direction from the base frame and on opposite sides of the crate, Athe stay bar 9 having a sliding connection with the forward frame while the stay bar 12 has a removable connection with the rear frame. Pivotally secured to the side bar l o the forward frame in alinement with and slightly above the stay bar 12 is arranged a brace bar 14, the forward end o which is adapted to engage, when the crate is in open position, a notch 15 formed in the stay bar 12 intermediate its ends and within the plane of the crate walls. The brace bar 14 and stay 12 are preferably connected by a/link 16 pivotally secured to the brace bar and slidably connected to the staybar through the medium of the elongated slot 17 formed in the link and embracing a pin 18 projecting from the stay.

Above the brace bar 14 an operating bar 19 is pivotally secured to the side bar 1 of the forward frame to which is secured the stay 12 and brace 14, the forward end of the operating bar extending beyond the side bar 3 of the rear frame and being formed with a depression or notch 20 to receive the free end of the spring catch' 21, whereby to prevent an upward movement of Said operating bar upon its pivotal connection. Intermediate the ends the operating bar is formed with an elongated slot 21 to slidably receive a pin 22, [rom which depends a rod 23 connected at its lower end to the brace 14 forward of the connection oi the link 16 with the latter. A bag or other protective covering 24 for the bananas or other material is suspended within the crate iralne and between the walls thereof, said bag being suitably secured by tying or other medium ol' connection to the respective Side bars l and 3 oi the iront and rear frames, as clearly shown in the drawings.

In operation assuming the parts constructed and arranged as described and the crate in open position, it will be noted that the stays 9 and l2 extend at reverse inclines from the front and rear frame respectively, the notch 13 in the stay l2 engaging a suitably formed recess 25 in the cross bar 4 of the rear frame. In this position of the parts the operating bar is locked beneath the spring catch 2l, while the rod 23 serves to hold the free end of the brace 14 in the notch 15 of the stay 12, thereby securing the stay in' position and preventingaccidental collapse of the plate. After removal of the bananas or other material from the bag 2 4, the crate may be collapsed and folded by disengaging the catch 21 from the operating bar 20 and moving the free end of said bar upward, thus withdrawing the brace 14 from the notch l5 in the stay l2, permitting the free end of the stay to be slightly elevated to disconnect it from the cross bar 4, thereby relieving the frames of their relatively rigid interbrace and permitting said frames to have a relatively longitudinal independent movement to bring said frames into practical Contact, it being understood that such movement is permitted owing to the pivotal connection of the side bars 8 and brace frame with said front and rear frames, as hereinbefore described. In collapsing the crate it is not necessary to move the bag or other holder therefrom as the same will collapse with the crate and will occupy no additional space,

In open condition the crate is readily adapted for supporting the bananas or other articles in a manner to prevent their bruising or the like during transportation, while in closed position the crate occupies the minimum of space, being folded into a comparatively small bulk for return to the shippers.

The crate described is of simple construction and the operating parts few in number, the locking of the crate in open position renders its accidental collapse during handling practically impossible, while the folding of the crate is readily and quickly accomplished when desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is:

l. A folding crate comprising a base frame, front and rear frames supported thereby, a stay pivotally connected to one of said frames and adapted for locking engagement with the other frame when the crate is open, means for locking said stay in operative position, and means for securing said latter means in stay locking position.

2. A folding crate comprising a base frame, front and rear frames pivotally connected therewith and with each other, a stay pivotally connected to one frame and arported on one of the frames and having connection withV the brace.

4. A folding crate comprising a base frame, front and rear frames pivotally connected therewith and with each other, a stay pivotally connectedto one frame and arranged for locking engagement with the other frame when the crate is in open position, a brace for holding said stay in locking position, an operating rod pivotally supported on one of the frames and having connection with the brace, and means for locking said operating rod i-n operative position.

5. A crate comprising a base frame, front and rear frames pivotally connected therewith and with each other, a stay pivotally connected to one of the frames and formed with a notch at its free end to engage the other frame when the crate is in open position, a base pivotally connected to one of the frames and adapted to engage a notch formed in the stay when the latter is in locking position, an operating bar pivoted to one of the frame's, a connection between said operating bar and base, and a spring latch for engaging said operating bar when in operative position.

In testimony whereof, I ahx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses L. S. SMITH, R. S. LINzEn. 

